Talk to your employer

An understanding and knowledgeable employer or manager can make all the difference to whether or not you feel able to seek support. Ask the personnel, welfare or occupational health officer, union or staff association representative or colleagues whether or not your workplace has a policy in place. There may be existing support that you are not aware of, or you may find that your employer is open to exploring ways to support carers.

Colleagues can also be very supportive, and it may help simply to discuss your situation with someone you trust. You may discover that some of your colleagues are carers, too. If so, you could approach your employer together, and perhaps even organise a focus group, so you can all better juggle your jobs and caring.

Types of support

You are likely to need a range of support and will often have different needs at different times. For example, you may simply need regular access to a telephone, so you can check on the person you care for during the day. Alternatively, you may need to take annual leave that corresponds to their hospital discharge. One carer was able to drive home to check on her elderly mother each lunchtime because her employer gave her a car parking space close to the office building.

2. Flexibility

You could find out if your employer offers flexible working patterns to help you work and care, for example:

• flexible starting and finishing times;
• compressed working hours;
• annualised working hours;
• job sharing or part-time working;
• homeworking and teleworking; and
• term-time working.

Leave arrangements

You can use leave arrangements to cover intensive periods of care. Find out if your employer has provisions for carer's leave, or compassionate leave. Whether such leave is paid or unpaid is usually at the discretion of your employer. If you are thinking of giving up work because of a long-term caring commitment, find out if your employer could offer you a career break. This would allow you to keep your options open and keeps you in touch with the world of work.

Access to information and advice

You need access in your workplace to information and advice, directly or through signposting. Find out what is available through your personnel officer; welfare officer or occupational health adviser; union or staff association representative and colleagues.

Support may include an in-house information line, intranet or carers network, or access to an employee assistance programme.

3. A right to time off for emergencies

You now have a right to take a 'reasonable' amount of time off work to deal with an emergency involving a dependant.This right also includes some protection from victimisation or dismissal when you use it. It is at the employer's discretion whether the leave is paid or unpaid. Situations where leave might be taken include:

• a disruption or breakdown in care arrangements;
• if a dependant falls ill or has been assaulted or in an accident, even if they are hurt or upset rather than physically injured; and
• arrangements for a dependant who is ill or injured to deal with the death of a dependant.

www.helptheaged.org.uk